1999

January 1
Ring out the old,
Ring in the new,
Ring out the false,
Ring in the true.

New Year's Day--Sacred to the Greek god/goddess Zues and Hera, the Roman god/goddess Jupiter and Juno.  A day of offering to the goddessFortuna, in order that the new year should be good.
 

January 2

As the weather is on the second of January, so it will be in September...

January 3

If January Kalends be summerly gay,
'Twill be wintry weather till the Kalends of May...

January 4

January 5

January 6

Twelfth Night
Epiphany
Epiphany of Kore-Persephone

Mardi Gras Begins

To learn more about Mardi Gras, click here

Twelfth Night--the debris of the Yule feast must be cleared away.

In the Julian Calendar this day is the Old Christmas Day.

January 7

Ancient Egyptian New Year's Day

January 8

Justitia

A day sacred to Justitia, Roman goddess of Justice.

January 9

January 10

Geraint

A day sacred to the 9th century Welsh bard, Geraint, theBlue Bard of Wales.

January 11

Carmentalia
Plough Monday

Roman festival--celebrating the nymphs of prophecy.  They are identified with the nine Muses.  The chief of these nymphs was known as Crmentis, goddess of prophecy, who also protected women in childbirth.  Also, Juturna was worshiped on this day in ancient Rome.

Plough Monday--traditional day for returning to work in the fields.  Farm workers received plough money; children received handsel in the form of money or sweets from neighbors.

January 12

St. Distaff's Day
Compitalia/The Lares

Roman festival--celebrating the household gods (the Lares).

St. Distaff's Day--named for a sacred tool.  Women would resume their spinning after the Yule.  Sacred to chief goddess of Old England (Frigg), whose followers were called Freefolk.

Partly work and partly play,
Ye must on St. Distaff's Day.

January 13

Ides of January
Julian New Year
Tiugunde Day

In some areas, wasailing (paying homage to apple trees) are still performed on this day.  It is also the Day of Norse ceremony of Midwinter's Offering (Tiugunde Day) in Old England.  This day falls 20 days after Yule.

January 14

January 15

January 16

January 17

January 18

January 19

January 20

January 21

January 22

St. Vincent

Remember on St. Vincent's Day
If that the sun his beams display,
Be sure to mark his transient beam
Which through the window sheds a gleam;
For 'tis a token bright and clear,
Of prosperous weather all the year.

January 23

January 24

Cornish Tinners' and Seafarer's Day

An old "Labor Day"celebrating the new season of sailing and mining in Cornwall.

January 25

Old Disting
St. Paul's Day
Burn's Night

Disting is the feast of Disir, the Norse guardian goddess.  Major festival of the gods was held in Uppsala, Sweden.  Burns' Night celebrates Robert Burns, the Scots Poet, and is a modern continuation of Disting.  It is also a weather marker:

If St. Paul's Day be fair and clearn,
It do betide a happy year.
But if it chance to snow or rain,
Then will be dear all kinds of grain
If clouds or mists do dark the sky,'
Great store of birds and beasts will die.
And if the winds do fly aloft;
Then wars shall vex the kingdom oft.

January 26

January 27

January 28

January 29

January 30

Festival of Peace

Dedicatd to the Roman Goddess Pax

January 31

February Eve

Start of the festival of Imbolc or Brigantia.

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